Thursday, May 19, 2016

Jersey City expands the police/citizen advisory board which will have zero real impact

Jersey City has added citizen members to it's police advisory board which is commendable but rather pointless. No matter what the new members do or say, the city or JCPD is under no obligation to do anything they suggest. The list of the new members to the board is impressive:The six new members of the board are public-school teacher Janine Brown; Pedro Figueroa, who oversees security operations for a Waterfront building; Asheenia Johnson, spokeswoman for Assemblywoman Angela McKnight; Pamela Johnson, founder of the Jersey City Anti-Violence Coalition; Dana Patton, who founded a Downtown neighborhood watch; and data analyst Denise Ridley.
...but for all that input it'll never amount to anything if those who would be overseen don't want to be overseen. The JCPD does not want anything similar to what Newark just implemented, a REAL citizen advisory board that has "investigatory and subpoena powers." THAT is how you bring about change. Sure the Newark cops don't like it but you know what? Too fucking bad. You work FOR the city. If you don't like the rules and laws the citizens draw up you can go be a cop elsewhere or better yet, go work at Sears. Remember, badges DO NOT afford extra rights. What this Jersey City board needs to be effective is the same powers as Newark has. Then and only then will Jersey City have the oversight committee that can actually correct issues with cops. Until then we have no TRUE oversight citizen committee, just like the Fulop Administration (who constantly bleat on about their transparency while defying the very definition of the word) and the JCPD want.